The FINANCIAL -- NIB and Siun Sote, the joint municipal authority for North Karelian social and health care services, have signed a EUR 22.8 million loan agreement with a maturity of 23 years to finance the construction of an extension to the regional hospital in Joensuu, eastern Finland.

The extension, with a total floor area of 19,140 square metres, will be able to centralise emergency hospital under one roof. It will facilitate more efficient use of the available resources, according to NIB.

Expanding the North Karelia Hospital is a response to the ageing population and growing number of patients in the region. The total investment cost is approximately EUR 47 million. The new facilities are scheduled to be ready in March 2020.

“Siun sote - Pohjois-Karjalan sosiaali- ja terveyspalveluiden kuntayhtymä” was established in 2017 as a joint municipal authority for medical care, social and special services in 14 member municipalities in Finland’s North Karelia region, with a total population of 170,000 people.